Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

English IV AP > Literary Terms > Flashcards

Literary Terms Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Allegory

A

a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. STORY IN WHICH EVERY ASPECT HAS A SYMBOLIC MEANING OUTSIDE THE STORY

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Alliteration

A

the repetition of beginning consonant sounds in a line of verse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Allusion

A

a reference to something the writer expects the reader to know

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Anachorism

A

a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Analogy

A

A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Anaphora

A

the repetition of a word of phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

FOR WEIGHT OR EMPHASIS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Anecdote

A

a brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Antagonist

A

a character or force in conflict with the main character

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Anticlimax

A

an ending that disappoints after an exciting or impressive series of events.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Antihero

A

A main character in a story who lacks heroic qualities.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Antithesis

A

A thing or person that is the opposite of something or someone else

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Aphorism

A

A concise observation that contains a general truth.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Apostrophe

A

a speech or address to a person who is not present or to a personified object

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Archaism

A

old-fashioned or outdated choice of words

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Archetype

A

CHARACTER, ACTION, OR SITUATION THAT IS A PROTOTYPE OR PATTERN OF HUMAN LIFE( THE QUEST, THE COMING OF AGE STORY, ETC…)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Assonance (Kaylee)

A

the repetition of the same or similar vowel sounds within words, phrases, or sentences.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Atmosphere

A

the emotional tone or background that surrounds a scene

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Ballad

A

a poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas. Traditional ballads are typically of unknown authorship, having been passed on orally from one generation to the next as part of the folk culture.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Bathos

A

WHEN WRITING STRAINS FOR GRANDEUR THAT IT CAN’T SUPPORT AND TRIES TO JERK TEARS ; OVERLY SENTIMENTAL

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Black Humor

A

Writing that juxtaposes morbid or ghastly elements with comical ones that underscore the senselessness or futility of life.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

bombast

A

using larger words and language with no meaning to impress others; trying to make others believe you are of higher intelligence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

burlesque (parody)

A

comically exaggerated for humorous purposes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

cacophony

A

discordant sounds mixed together; many different sounds mixed together to create a ratchet sound

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

cadence

A

rhythmic measure such as a beat in music or words

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

caricature

A

the exaggeration of features or behaviors of a person, usually for comical purposes. Sometimes, an analogy of a human being having animal actions is used.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

close reading

A

analysis of a text that allows for a deeper understanding by examining the details instead of looking at the big picture.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

colloquialism

A

the use of slang or informal words or phrases in a text.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

conceit

A

conceit is similar to a metaphor and a simile as it compares two very different things, but it spans the entirety of a poem or literary work. The comparison can be so farfetched that it requires focus and thought.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

connotation

A

WHAT A WORD SUGGESTS OR IMPLIES

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

couplet

A

two lines of verse that can rhyme

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

denotation

A

the literal definition or intended meaning of a word

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

diction

A

AN AUTHOR’s CHOICE OF WORDS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

dirge

A

a lament for the dead, especially one for funeral rites, usually in the form of a poem or song

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

dramatic monologue

A

The author takes on the voice of a character and delivers an uninterrupted speech aloud to either themselves or another character, but not directly at the audience.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

elegy

A

POEM THAT MEDITATES ON DEATH

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

enjambment

A

When a sentence of poetry doesn’t have a pause, but instead continues to the next line or stanza

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Epic

A

LONG POEM THAT TELLS A STORY, USUALLY WITH A HERO

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Epigram

A

SHORT, WITTY POEM , USUALLY IN COUPLETS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Epitaph

A

LINES THAT COMMEMORATE THE DEAD AT THEIR BURIAL PLACE

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Euphemism

A

The substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Explication

A

The process of analyzing a literary work to develop an idea or principle that reveals an underlying detailed meaning; to draw a meaning out of something not clearly defined.

DETAILED ANALYSIS OFTEN WORD BY WORD OR LINE BY LINE

42
Q

Farce

A

A comic, dramatic work using horseplay and typically including crude characters as well as improbable situations.

43
Q

Figure of Speech

A

a word or phrase used in a non-literal sense for rhetorical or vivid effect. Can include similes, euphemisms, metaphors, and more.

44
Q

Flashback

A

A flashback is a scene in a movie, novel, etc. set in an earlier time than the current story.

45
Q

Foil

A

a character that contrasts the characteristics of the protagonist or other character to highlight a trait of that character

46
Q

Foot

A

basic rhythmic unit of poetry: combination of 2 or 3 syllables, either stressed or unstressed

47
Q

foreshadowing

A

a hint of what is to come ; a sign given to the audience through symbolism, imagery, or language that suggest what is to come.

48
Q

free verse

A

a type of poetry with no rhyme scheme, meter, or rhythm.

49
Q

genre

A

a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.

50
Q

gothic novel

A

an English genre of fiction popular in the 18th to early 19th centuries, characterized by an atmosphere of mystery and horror and having a pseudo medieval setting.

51
Q

hubris

A

excessive pride or self-confidence

52
Q

hyperbole

A

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

53
Q

imagery

A

The author’s use of descriptions that appeal to the five sense

54
Q

impicit vs. Explicit

A

Implicit- implied or understood, but not specifically stated

explicit- clearly stated with no room for doubt

55
Q

in media res

A

Literally means “In the midst of things”; When the author skips what would canonically be the beginning of a story arc, usually to the middle.

56
Q

Inversion

A

shifting the order of words and phrases in a sentence

57
Q

Irony (verbal, dramatic, situational)

A

Verbal Irony- the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning

Dramatic Irony- when a situation develops in a drama that is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play

Situational Irony- an event or occasion in which the outcome is significantly different from what was expected or considered appropriate

58
Q

jargon

A

confused unintelligible language; the technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a special activity or group

59
Q

juxtaposition

A

the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side often to compare, contrast, or create an interesting effect

60
Q

lament

A

a passionate expression of grief or sorrow

61
Q

lampoon

A

To criticize through the usage of sarcasm or other humorous styles

62
Q

lyric

A

A poem type that writers use to show their emotions

63
Q

melodrama

A

A book, movie, poem, or play that overly dramatic and exaggerated for the sake of inspiring emotion in the audience

64
Q

metaphor

A

When a object or person is referred to as something they are not in order to highlight similar qualities or compare

65
Q

meter

A

PATTERN OF STRESSED AN UNSTRESSED SYLLABLES IN A LINE OF VERSE

66
Q

metonymy

A

The substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant.

67
Q

motif

A

A recurring idea, object, or image in a literary work.

68
Q

Narrator reliable vs. unreliable

A

Reliable Narrator:

Definition: A story in which the narrator presents a straightforward, credible account of events.

Unreliable Narrator:

Definition: A story in which we might not entirely trust what the narrator is telling us.

69
Q

Nemesis

A

the inescapable agent of someone’s or something’s downfall or / a longstanding rival

70
Q

Objectivity/Subjectivity

A

Objectivity

Definition: the quality of being objective (not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts).

Subjectivity

Definition: The quality of being based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.

71
Q

onomatopoeia

A

The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named.

72
Q

oxymoron

A

A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

73
Q

parable

A

A short narrative with a moral lesson commonly used in religious texts. It comes from the Greek word of comparison.

74
Q

paradox

A

A statement that appears to be self-contradictory but reveals a truth.

75
Q

parallelism

A

The repetition of grammatical elements in writing and speaking

76
Q

paraphrase

A

To restate a statement in different words than the original text while keeping the meaning and the sense of the original source

77
Q

parody

A

a work that mimics the style of another work or genre in an exaggerated way (usually for comic effect)

78
Q

pastoral

A

a style of writing that contrasts the rural life, often described as simple and pure, drastically to the urban life, often described as corrupt and artificial.

79
Q

Pathos

A

WHEN WRITING EVOKES FEELINGS OF DIGNIFIED PITY AND SYMPATHY

80
Q

Persona

A

THE NARRATOR IN A NON FIRST-PERSON NOVEL

81
Q

Point of View

A

Definition: The position from where the story is being told. Includes omniscient narrator, first person, third person limited narrator, and stream of consciousness

PERSPECTIVE FROM WHICH THE ACTION IS PRESENTED

Omniscient narrator example: an all-knowing narrator WHO SEES INTO EACH CHARACTER’S MIND AND UNDERSTANDS ALL THE ACTION GOING ON

First person narrator example: A character in the story tells the story from their point of view.-WRITER USES “I”

Third person limited narrator example: A narrator tells the thoughts and actions of only one character. WRITER USES “HE’ OR “SHE”

Stream of consciousness technique example: Portrays the random thoughts that enter a character’s mind and is usually very jumbled and free. WRITER PLACES READER INSIDE THE MAIN CHARACTER’S HEAD

82
Q

Protagonist

A

the main/leading character in any work of literature

83
Q

Pun

A

a play on words that uses the double meanings of words or words that are phonetically similar to each other

84
Q

Refrain

A

A regularly recurring phrase or verse especially at the end of each stanza or division of a poem or song.

85
Q

Rhetorical Question

A

A question not intended to require an answer.

86
Q

Satire

A

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule, to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices.

87
Q

Soliloquy

A

A poem, discourse, or utterance of a character in a drama that has the form of a monologue or gives the illusion of being a series of unspoken reflections.

SPEECH SPOKEN BY ONE CHARACTER ALONE ON STAGE

88
Q

Speaker

A

The voice from which the passage’s point of view is coming from.

89
Q

Stanza

A

A verse of lines in a poem.

ANALOGOUS TO A PARAGRAPH IN AN ESSAY OR STORY

90
Q

Stock Character

A

The repetition of character archetypes and their stereotypes to a point where they become easily recognizable to the audience.

91
Q

Suspension of Disbelief

A

the willingness of a reader to ignore critical thinking in order to enjoy a story

92
Q

Synecdoche (Corinne)

A

a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa.

93
Q

Syntax

A

the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.

94
Q

Theme

A

MAIN IDEA OF THE WORK; WHAT THE AUTHOR WANTS TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT LIFE

95
Q

Tone

A

THE ATTITUDE OR FEELINGS OF THE AUTHOR- CREATED THROUGH HIS WORDS

96
Q

Tragic Flaw

A

WEAKNESS OF A CHARACTER (USUALLY A GOOD PERSON OVERALL) THAT LEADS TO THAT CHARACTER’S DEMISE

97
Q

Verisimilitude

A

THE WRITING HAS THE QUALITY OF BEING VERY REALISTIC

98
Q

Symbolism

A

the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

99
Q

Simile

A

the comparison of two things using “like” or “as”

100
Q

Personification

A

applying human qualities to non-human things

English IV AP (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions